me gustan tus zapatos
/me ɡustan tus θapatos/from spelling rules
To say "I like your shoes" in Spanish, you say me gustan tus zapatos.
This phrase is used to compliment someone by expressing that you find their footwear attractive.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me gustan tus zapatos literally translates to "your shoes please me" because of how the verb functions.
Which one should you use?
Using me gustan focuses on the shoes being pleasing, whereas te gustan would mean "you like them".
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb gustar is conjugated to match the object being liked rather than the person who likes them. If you were referring to only one shoe, the verb must change from the plural 'gustan' to the singular 'gusta': me gusta tu zapato.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ɡustan tus θapatos/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying yo gusto tus zapatos. English speakers often mistakenly use 'yo gusto' instead of 'me gustan' because they try to translate 'I like' directly.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, complimenting a stranger's clothing or accessories without adding Dios quisera or Dios lo bendiga can occasionally be seen as inviting bad luck or 'the evil eye'.
- The word zapatos is a distant relative of the English word 'sabatons', which refers to the metal footwear worn by medieval knights.
- The word zapato is used in the idiom dar zapateado, which refers to a rhythmic dance step where the dancer strikes the floor hard with their shoes.
Examples in context
- ¡Me encantan tus tenis!I love your shoes!
- Me gustan tus zapatos nuevos.I like your new shoes.
- ¡Oye, me gustan tus zapatos!Hey, I like your shoes!
- Me gustan tus zapatos rojos.I like your red shoes.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are meeting at a cafe.
- AlejandroHola, Sofía. Me gustan tus zapatos.Hello, Sofía. I like your shoes.
- Sofía¡Gracias, Alejandro! Son un regalo.Thanks, Alejandro! They are a gift.
- AlejandroTe quedan muy bien.They look very good on you.
- SofíaQué amable eres.You are so kind.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
